On the Massachusetts North Shore

Walking Tours of Historic Ipswich

49 Candlewood Road, the Robert Kinsman house (b 1714)

Robert Kinsman constructed this First Period house before 1714, and the home has been greatly expanded over the years. Stephen Kinsman inherited the house in 1726, and with his wife Elizabeth Russell brought up a family of twelve children. They dwelt in the old Robert Kinsman homestead until 1767 when he sold his farm, 47 acres and buildings to Samuel Patch.

According to Thomas Franklin Waters, “it was said” that the old Robert Kinsman dwelling burned sometime after it was sold to Samuel Patch, and that this house was built by his son John Patch in 1800, but the story is not supported by any documentation or by the apparent age of the house.

Robert Kinsman the immigrant, a glazier by trade, received a of an acre of land on the south side of the way now known as Green St. near the corner of County St. in Ipswich. He probably built his house here in the 1635 though the record of the grant was not made until 1637. He died Jan 28 1664, and his will gave his dwelling to Tabitha his only unmarried daughter. His son Robert was born in 1629.

Robert Kinsman (2) born in 1629, followed his father’s trade. He married Mary Boreman, daughter of Thomas, whose dwelling was on East Street. He purchased his Candlewood farm in 1652. He died on February 19, 1712 and was buried in the old High Street Burying Ground where his gravestone still stands. They had nine children, including Robert, Thomas and Stephen. His son, Robert III, made his home in the Fellows homestead at the corner of Candlewood and Fellows Road, but moved to Norwich, Connecticut with his wife.

Stephen Kinsman (1), born about 1688, with his brother Thomas received from their grandfather Quartermaster Robert Kinsman, the title of their father’s farm. He bought his brother’s interest and eventually acquired a considerable landed estate. Joseph Thomas Kinsman, mariner conveyed to his brother Steven Senior, “the tenement of housing and land given me by my grandfather Robert and part my father Thomas,bought of the Town of Ipswich Jan 3 1714. “on Dec. 19 1729. Stephen Kinsman gradually acquired a large tract in what was called Walker’s Swamp or Walker’s Swamp Island, which had been apportioned on the basis of old and new rights as the larger “Inner Common of the South Eighth,” (Ipswich was divided into “Eights” for accounting purposes.) By trade, Stephen Kinsman was a weaver. He married first Lucy Kimball, daughter of Caleb and Lucy Kimball of High Street in 1711, who died Feb 22 1715 16 at the age of 23 years. His second wife was Lydia Kimball, daughter of Richard and Lydia Kimball pub Nov 19 1716. Stephen Kimball died in the home of his birth, Dec. 8, 1756. His son Stephen (2) inherited the farm in 1756. His dwelling was on the original farm but he had built a house on Walker’s Island which was occupied probably by his son Jeremiah, whose home still stands nearby.

Stephen Kinsman (2) was born March 30, 1718. He married Elizabeth Russell on April 10, 1739. His father’s will, proved in 1756, bestowed on him “that part of the dwelling (ie his grandfather’s house) he now lives in, with the old barn and shop with all my looms and weaving tackling etc.” The parlor end of the dwelling was given to Lydia his widow. Stephen Kinsman sold his farm to Samuel Patch in 1767. During their residence in the old farm house twelve sons and daughters were born.

Hall in the Robert Kinsman house shows the post and beam construction which is apparent throughout.

Members of the Kinsman family lived all along this road and several of their houses still exist, including the Jeremiah Kinsman house at 59 Candlewood and the Rhoda Kinsman house just beyond it. Candlewood Road was one of the preferred farming areas in Ipswich for early settlers and the Agawam Indians before them. The name may have come from the pitch pine bark that early inhabitants used to light their homes.

The original section of this house has pine plank floors, raised paneling, exposed post and beams. There are 6 fireplaces throughout the entire house. View interior photos

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Thank you Gordon. Yes, I have the book and have read all pertinent sections. Still is puzzling why everyone from my line left the town, especially with such a big family and extended family too. Guess there are some things that will always remain a mystery. Thanks anyway!

I’m doing some research on my Kinsman family roots and I am wondering why the entire Stephen Kinsman family moved away from Ipswich after they sold 49 Candlewood to the Patch family. It was such a large family…don’t know why none of them stayed in Ipswich. Do you have any information to share or a suggestion where I might look? Thank you.